PASO ROBLES — The Pacific Coast Cutting Horse Association celebrated its 30th anniversary at the 2009 PCCHA Futurity and Stakes from Oct. 22-Nov. 1 at Paso Robles Event Center. Tim Smith, who has NCHA lifetime earnings of more than $4.3 million, is the highest money-earning rider at PCCHA major events, and continued his reign by winning the 2009 PCCHA Open Futurity.

Smith, of Temecula, Calif., aboard Flo Like A Cat delivered the winning 222 run as the first horse out in the 17-horse finals. Flo Like A Cat (Cats Merada x Flo N Ethyl x Mr Peponita Flo) is owned by Bill Banner of Galt, Calif., who earned the $28,879 champion’s prize.

“Last night, when Bill drew the first place slot, I told Diane as we were sitting there at dinner that I think we’re going to win,” Smith said. “I’ve had a lot of luck going first in this arena. First is a good draw here. A lot of people have won in a first place draw in this arena.”

He said Flo Like A Cat is very mature for a young horse. “You can show her very aggressively. The run started good and stayed good and the last cow was phenomenal. She was dead on,” Smith said. “Russ (Elrod) and Double Smart Cat had a really good run in the second set and Michael (Cooper) and Make My Day TR had a good run at the end; but, she just has an extra gear and I just think she was the best tonight with that draw. I was fortunate to get to ride her.”

Smith and the mare had scores of 219, 215, and 214 respectively in the preliminaries. “Last night in the semi-finals, I cut like a $2K Limit rider and darn near took her out of the cutting,” Smith said. “But she was right there the whole way, I think she is head and shoulders the best colt at the show.”

Phil Rapp, Dont Look Twice win Open Cutting Stakes

In a poetic finish to the Open Cutting Stakes Finals, Dont Look Twice and former Californian Phil Rapp laid down a picture-perfect 227 run to earn this year’s Open Cutting Stakes Championship.

Owned by Louis and Corliss Baldwin of the Waco Bend Ranch in Graham, Texas, Dont Look Twice (Highbrow Cat x Tapt Twice x Dual Pep) has been a special mare to Rapp. “That horse’s great-grandmother, Tapeppyoka Peppy, was 2nd in the inaugural Open Cutting Stakes in 1984,” Rapp said. “It’s pretty special that her great-granddaughter came back and won it.”

He added: “That mare was just turning in two like a noodle. When she’s on, she can do that. She’s such a fantastic horse. I’ve said that the best horse I have ever ridden is Tap O Lena and, while they are different horses, this mare is every bit as great as her grandmother.”

The Baldwins are four years new to the cutting industry; and Mr. Baldwin, who is a financial executive for XTO Energy, a natural gas producer, credits the Rapps with their success thus far. “We own some horses in partnership with Phil and Maryann and they train all of our horses,” he said. “And, they work with my son, Ray, to manage the breeding program. Ben Emison introduced us to Phil and Maryann and it has worked out very well.”

Rapp, a Texas trainer who is originally from Napa, Calif., said this win was particularly meaningful out here in his home state. “It’s old home week whenever we come back here (to Paso Robles),” he said. “Last night at the (PCCHA) Hall of Fame inductions, it was special. My dad (Jerry Rapp) had been a Hall of Fame inductee and had also been given the Ed Smith Memorial Award. There are so many great friends here and my dad was such a part of the Pacific Coast and he really helped get the Stallion Stakes going.”

Rapp, who is the highest earning NCHA money-earning rider in history with over $6.5 million in winnings to his credit, collected the Open Cutting Stakes winner’s check of $25,090.

The Open Cutting Stakes Reserve Championship went to Justa Smart Cat and Gary Gonsalves for owner Iron Rose Ranch of Carbondale, Colo. The duo marked a 219.5 for the win and earned a payout of $21,390.

That Catomine and Matt Gaines finished in a tie for 3rd place with Smooth Autumn Mate and Morgan Cromer. Both teams earned a check for $15,840.

Dustin Adams, WSR Clays Freckles win PCCHA Non-Pro Futurity

The Non-Pro Futurity was adeptly won by Dustin Adams of Western States Ranches in Dublin, Texas, and his gelding WSR Clays Freckles (San Tule Freckles x Clays Little Peppy x Peppy San Badger) when the pair marked a 217 in the final round to earn the payout of $11,286.

Adams also rode to the Reserve Championship on Palefaced Hickory (Pale Face Jose x Janas Little Hickory x Docs Hickory) with a solid 216 run that earned him another $10,105. Adams came to this year’s event with six horses in tow and advanced all six to the final rounds in various divisions, including his three Non-Pro Futurity entries.

The champion of the bunch, WSR Clays Freckles, holds a special place with Adams. “He was his dam’s last baby,” he explained. “She was one of the better Little Peppy mares there is and she died this year; so it was pretty bitter-sweet.”

WSR Clays Freckles was trained by one of Western States Ranches’ resident trainers, Zack Henning. “This horse has been real good and real consistent all fall,” added Adams, who previously rode the gelding to finalist positions at the Brazos Bash, West Texas Futurity and Music City Futurity. “Chad Bushaw’s horse has been good all fall; and Jimmy Kemp had a good horse in there tonight, too. It’s been a good group of horses competing this fall.”

Prior to the win last night, Adams had accrued NCHA lifetime earnings of $2,649,190.

For complete show results, visit the Web site: www.pccha.com/showresults.asp